Exemplary embodiments herein generally relate to safety sensors installed in vehicles, and more specifically, to pressure-activated sensors for preventing an automatic door or other moveable structure in a passenger vehicle from forcibly closing in the event the opening becomes obstructed by, for example, the arms, legs, or fingers of a passenger.
Pressure-activated or pressure-sensitive sensors are used in passenger vehicles and in other applications for preventing an automatic powered door from forcibly closing over an obstruction, such as the arms, legs, or fingers of a passenger. In automotive applications, such sensors (typically referred to as “pinch sensors”) are required for customer protection when vehicles include a motorized or automatic slide door. The pinch sensor detects whether an obstruction bumps into a front edge of the slide door for the purpose of stopping or reversing an operation of the slide door while closing.
FIG. 5 depicts a known pinch sensor 50 for a slide door 52. The slide door includes an outer panel 60 and an inner panel 62 connected to each other at each periphery to define a door hem 64. A garnish member 68 is connected to an upper portion of the slide door 52. Typically, the pinch sensor 50 includes a sensor main body portion 70 incorporating therein multiple conductors having gaps therebetween, a holding portion 72 having elasticity so as to hold the sensor main body portion, and an attaching portion 74 for attaching the holding portion 72 to the sliding door 52. Currently, the pinch sensor is mounted directly to a bracket 80 that is connected to the inner panel 62. The pinch sensor 50 can also be mounted directly to the door hem 64 via the attaching portion 74. A lead wire (not shown) of the pinch sensor 50 is positioned within the door 52 by passing through a through-hole formed on a side edge of the door. When the pinch sensor is secured to the bracket 80, a separate seal member 84 is connected to the door hem 64 for sealing the gap between the door outer garnish member 52 and one of a rear edge 90 of a front door 92 and a vehicle frame. In the instance where the pinch sensor 50 is secured directly to the door hem 64, the seal member 84 is integrally formed with the pinch sensor 50. In both cases, because of the location of the pinch sensor 50 relative to the garnish member 52, the pinch sensor defines a leading edge of the door 52 and, thus, can be damaged during occupant ingress/egress of the vehicle compartment.